From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Since setting up my new Pi5 some oddities have emerged with
the WiFi, includidng seemingly slow/erratic ping times despite
a near 100% link quality as measured with wavemon. The icon
in the top menu bar didn't light up all the way, suggesting
some disagreement between wavemon and the OS . At one point
wavemon reported that rfkill had prevemted wifi startup, though
rfkill reported both wifi and bluetooth unblocked. There was
one report online of a bookworm bug along this line, does it
aply to RasPiOS?

Between the two, I'm rather confused. Over the past year or
two wifi has gotten worse,I thought because of interference
from neighbors, who now number close to 20. But, during a scan
wavemon consistently reports my access point as the strongest
signal. Is "strongest signal" not sufficient by itself?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska


--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 01/07/2024 19:59, bp@www.zefox.net wrote:

Since setting up my new Pi5 some oddities have emerged with
the WiFi, includidng seemingly slow/erratic ping times despite
a near 100% link quality as measured with wavemon. The icon
in the top menu bar didn't light up all the way, suggesting
some disagreement between wavemon and the OS . At one point
wavemon reported that rfkill had prevemted wifi startup, though
rfkill reported both wifi and bluetooth unblocked. There was
one report online of a bookworm bug along this line, does it
aply to RasPiOS?

Between the two, I'm rather confused. Over the past year or
two wifi has gotten worse,I thought because of interference
from neighbors, who now number close to 20. But, during a scan
wavemon consistently reports my access point as the strongest
signal. Is "strongest signal" not sufficient by itself?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska

Check the channels they are using - then choose something else
--
Chris

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Chris Townley <news@cct-net.co.uk> wrote:

Between the two, I'm rather confused. Over the past year or
two wifi has gotten worse,I thought because of interference
from neighbors, who now number close to 20. But, during a scan
wavemon consistently reports my access point as the strongest
signal. Is "strongest signal" not sufficient by itself?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska

Check the channels they are using - then choose something else

Wavemon scan reports in part
:DD:8D 63%, -66 dBm, ch 6, 2437 MHz 1 sta, 28% c
hGiants Guest 22:FD:13:14:DD:8E 63%, -66 dBm, ch 6, 2437 MHz 28% chan, Ra
dmillerhome2 F0:72:EA:49:C6:4A 63%, -66 dBm, ch 6, 2437 MHz ESS, Radio M
eATT5Zavd8s 08:9B:B9:01:B7:14 60%, -68 dBm, ch 6, 2437 MHz 9 sta, 58% c
hd-link.zefox.net 00:13:46:86:6D:0C 84%, -51 dBm, ch 2, 2417 MHz ESS │

I'm on channel 2 and seemingly have it to myself.

Experiments using a metal mixing bowl about 12 inches across allowed me
to increase the received signal to -40 dBm and "signal quality" to 70/70.
For a while the wifi performance seemed to improve. Next morning the signal was still as high, but there were periods of slow response and complete dropouts
when the link went away entirely. Eventually I got rid of the reflector and things
went back to normal. That was when wavemon reported that rfkill wouldn't allow wlan0
to start. Could I have been overloading the tranciever?

Thanks for writing,

bob prohaska



--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 01/07/2024 19:59, bp@www.zefox.net wrote:

during a scan
wavemon consistently reports my access point as the strongest
signal. Is "strongest signal" not sufficient by itself?

No.

WiFi smears itself over a wide spectrum and all other wifis appear as
'in band noise' to a greater or lesser extent.

Since data packets are I think cryptographically signed and checksummed,
the chances of a given packet getting corrupted and needing a retransmit
goes up as the number of adjacent stations does.

Similar to mobile cells.
--
“Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.”

H.L. Mencken, A Mencken Chrestomathy

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 01/07/2024 23:32, Chris Townley wrote:

On 01/07/2024 19:59, bp@www.zefox.net wrote:

Since setting up my new Pi5 some oddities have emerged with
the WiFi, includidng seemingly slow/erratic ping times despite
a near 100% link quality as measured with wavemon. The icon
in the top menu bar didn't light up all the way, suggesting
some disagreement between wavemon and the OS . At one point
wavemon reported that rfkill had prevemted wifi startup, though
rfkill reported both wifi and bluetooth unblocked. There was
one report online of a bookworm bug along this line, does it
aply to RasPiOS?

Between the two, I'm rather confused. Over the past year or
two wifi has gotten worse,I thought because of interference
from neighbors, who now number close to 20. But, during a scan
wavemon consistently reports my access point as the strongest
signal. Is "strongest signal" not sufficient by itself?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska

Check the channels they are using - then choose something else

Helps but does not totally cure
--
In todays liberal progressive conflict-free education system, everyone
gets full Marx.

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Chris Townley <news@cct-net.co.uk> wrote at 22:32 this Monday (GMT):

On 01/07/2024 19:59, bp@www.zefox.net wrote:

Since setting up my new Pi5 some oddities have emerged with
the WiFi, includidng seemingly slow/erratic ping times despite
a near 100% link quality as measured with wavemon. The icon
in the top menu bar didn't light up all the way, suggesting
some disagreement between wavemon and the OS . At one point
wavemon reported that rfkill had prevemted wifi startup, though
rfkill reported both wifi and bluetooth unblocked. There was
one report online of a bookworm bug along this line, does it
aply to RasPiOS?

Between the two, I'm rather confused. Over the past year or
two wifi has gotten worse,I thought because of interference
from neighbors, who now number close to 20. But, during a scan
wavemon consistently reports my access point as the strongest
signal. Is "strongest signal" not sufficient by itself?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska

Check the channels they are using - then choose something else

Don't wifi connections change which channels they use frequently? Unless
you control all the nearby routers, I don't think it would help a ton..
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 02/07/2024 15:50, candycanearter07 wrote:

Chris Townley <news@cct-net.co.uk> wrote at 22:32 this Monday (GMT):

On 01/07/2024 19:59, bp@www.zefox.net wrote:

Since setting up my new Pi5 some oddities have emerged with
the WiFi, includidng seemingly slow/erratic ping times despite
a near 100% link quality as measured with wavemon. The icon
in the top menu bar didn't light up all the way, suggesting
some disagreement between wavemon and the OS . At one point
wavemon reported that rfkill had prevemted wifi startup, though
rfkill reported both wifi and bluetooth unblocked. There was
one report online of a bookworm bug along this line, does it
aply to RasPiOS?

Between the two, I'm rather confused. Over the past year or
two wifi has gotten worse,I thought because of interference
from neighbors, who now number close to 20. But, during a scan
wavemon consistently reports my access point as the strongest
signal. Is "strongest signal" not sufficient by itself?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska

Check the channels they are using - then choose something else

Don't wifi connections change which channels they use frequently? Unless
you control all the nearby routers, I don't think it would help a ton..

Good routers monitor nearby signals, and will change channel to avoid conflicts. With some you can override this
--
Chris

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 02/07/2024 15:50, candycanearter07 wrote:

Don't wifi connections change which channels they use frequently? Unless
you control all the nearby routers, I don't think it would help a ton..

No. They dont. You assign a (centre) channel to a wifi station. I t
spreads a lot either side, but the centre is the centre
--
Any fool can believe in principles - and most of them do!



--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 02/07/2024 16:11, Chris Townley wrote:

Good routers monitor nearby signals, and will change channel to avoid conflicts. With some you can override this

Ive never ever found a router that does that.
And my router us VERY good
--
"When one man dies it's a tragedy. When thousands die it's statistics."

Josef Stalin


--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 02/07/2024 16:11, Chris Townley wrote:

Good routers monitor nearby signals, and will change channel to avoid conflicts. With some you can override this

That doesn't work well, the router may detect a competing signal and
change to channel which looks better where it is, but your clients some distance away may suffer more interference on this new channel as they
are closer to another access point. Also if several nearby routers are
using this technique you may find your channel frequently, and
performance varying greatly day to day.

Because 5GHz doesn't travel as far, especially through walls, it's
easier. Generally everyone will be using the default setup of an 80Mhz
wide channel at 36, so pick 54 instead. If that's also use check which
other non overlapping channels are valid in your location (varies due to interference with radar).

2.4GHz tricker as it is pretty saturated every where outside the back of beyond, but the rule is to stick to the non overlapping 20MHz wide
channels at 1,6 and 11. Any use of the other channels will cause far
worse interference, so steer clear of that.

To pick the best one of the three, check the signal strength of
competing networks, not at the router, but where your clients are
located as that makes more of a difference. Use the channel with the
weakest competing signals. On Linux iwconfig will show the signal
strength and link quality of the connected access point, and iwlist scan
will display information on all the access points it can see.

---druck


--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 02/07/2024 21:36, druck wrote:

.4GHz tricker as it is pretty saturated every where outside the back of beyond, but the rule is to stick to the non overlapping 20MHz wide
channels at 1,6 and 11. Any use of the other channels will cause far
worse interference, so steer clear of that.

To pick the best one of the three, check the signal strength of
competing networks, not at the router, but where your clients are
located as that makes more of a difference. Use the channel with the
weakest competing signals. On Linux iwconfig will show the signal
strength and link quality of the connected access point, and iwlist scan will display information on all the access points it can see.

Foe at least android phones there is a free app called wifi analyser or something which shows/lists channel spectrums on at least 2.4GHz.
--
“It is not the truth of Marxism that explains the willingness of intellectuals to believe it, but the power that it confers on
intellectuals, in their attempts to control the world. And since...it is futile to reason someone out of a thing that he was not reasoned into,
we can conclude that Marxism owes its remarkable power to survive every criticism to the fact that it is not a truth-directed but a
power-directed system of thought.”
Sir Roger Scruton

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Foe at least android phones there is a free app called wifi analyser or something which shows/lists channel spectrums on at least 2.4GHz.

I now use this one (no adverts and open source)

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vrem.wifianalyzer>

instead of the farproc one
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 03/07/2024 15:40, candycanearter07 wrote:

The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote at 19:55 this Tuesday (GMT):

On 02/07/2024 15:50, candycanearter07 wrote:

Don't wifi connections change which channels they use frequently? Unless >>> you control all the nearby routers, I don't think it would help a ton..

No. They dont. You assign a (centre) channel to a wifi station. I t
spreads a lot either side, but the centre is the centre

Weird, maybe it was just the corporate wifi that did that..

Now THAT I can believe. Having sat in a hospital with over 40 different
WIFI points all with different SSIDS...spread fairly evenly over the spectrum...
I cant see NHS staff doing any setup and contractors probly send in a PFY.
--
“It is hard to imagine a more stupid decision or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people
who pay no price for being wrong.”

Thomas Sowell

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote at 19:55 this Tuesday (GMT):

On 02/07/2024 15:50, candycanearter07 wrote:

Don't wifi connections change which channels they use frequently? Unless
you control all the nearby routers, I don't think it would help a ton..

No. They dont. You assign a (centre) channel to a wifi station. I t
spreads a lot either side, but the centre is the centre

Weird, maybe it was just the corporate wifi that did that..
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 03/07/2024 10:34, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Foe at least android phones there is a free app called wifi analyser or something which shows/lists channel spectrums on at least 2.4GHz.

A great app, I've used it a lot.

Unfortunately a recent Android update has throttled the amount of
scanning an app can do, so if you try to leave it running and wander
around the house to measure signal strength, you find it stops after a
few seconds and needs restarting. It's not just that app, but the
alternatives too.

---druck

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 03/07/2024 15:40, candycanearter07 wrote:

The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote at 19:55 this Tuesday (GMT):

On 02/07/2024 15:50, candycanearter07 wrote:

Don't wifi connections change which channels they use frequently? Unless >>> you control all the nearby routers, I don't think it would help a ton..

No. They dont. You assign a (centre) channel to a wifi station. I t
spreads a lot either side, but the centre is the centre

Weird, maybe it was just the corporate wifi that did that..

Both corporate and some consumer access points offer automatic channel selection, where it will pick a channel which appears to have less interference.

As I point out in my other post, it doesn't always make the best choices
for clients, and if other APs also do it, you get a never ending game of
WiFi musical chairs.

---druck
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 03/07/2024 21:13, druck wrote:

On 03/07/2024 10:34, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Foe at least android phones there is a free app called wifi analyser
or something which shows/lists channel spectrums on at least 2.4GHz.

A great app, I've used it a lot.

Unfortunately a recent Android update has throttled the amount of
scanning an app can do, so if you try to leave it running and wander
around the house to measure signal strength, you find it stops after a
few seconds and needs restarting. It's not just that app, but the alternatives too.

---druck

You can turn scan throttling off, by going into developer mode.

<https://www.wifianalyzer.info/?s=wi-fi-throttling>

I just tested it on android 14. It said it worked in Wifi Analyzer. I'm
not sure how much it improved scanning.
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 03/07/2024 23:10, Pancho wrote:

On 03/07/2024 21:13, druck wrote:

Unfortunately a recent Android update has throttled the amount of>>
scanning an app can do

You can turn scan throttling off, by going into developer mode. <https://www.wifianalyzer.info/?s=wi-fi-throttling> I just tested it
on android 14. It said it worked in Wifi Analyzer.>> I'm not sure how
much it improved scanning.

Thanks, I'd been meaning to find that setting an turn it off.

---druck
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 21:06:38 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 02/07/2024 16:11, Chris Townley wrote:

Good routers monitor nearby signals, and will change channel to avoid
conflicts. With some you can override this

Ive never ever found a router that does that.
And my router us VERY good

Automatic channel setting with the option to overrule. Mine has it, I've switched it off as it forces connected devices to also
dynamically switch channels. So: Pick the "cleanest" channel at your router and make it fixed. Do the same for possible
accesspoint (best is "the same" channel to allow seamless takeover).
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 05/07/2024 13:32, Joe wrote:

On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 21:06:38 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 02/07/2024 16:11, Chris Townley wrote:

Good routers monitor nearby signals, and will change channel to avoid
conflicts. With some you can override this

Ive never ever found a router that does that.
And my router us VERY good

Automatic channel setting with the option to overrule. Mine has it, I've switched it off as it forces connected devices to also
dynamically switch channels. So: Pick the "cleanest" channel at your router and make it fixed. Do the same for possible
accesspoint (best is "the same" channel to allow seamless takeover).

My router has an 'auto' setting for channel. Is that it? Why would
anyine use it?
--
"An intellectual is a person knowledgeable in one field who speaks out
only in others...”

Tom Wolfe

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On Fri, 5 Jul 2024 14:51:55 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 05/07/2024 13:32, Joe wrote:

On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 21:06:38 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 02/07/2024 16:11, Chris Townley wrote:

Good routers monitor nearby signals, and will change channel to avoid
conflicts. With some you can override this

Ive never ever found a router that does that.
And my router us VERY good

Automatic channel setting with the option to overrule. Mine has it, I've switched it off as it forces connected devices to also
dynamically switch channels. So: Pick the "cleanest" channel at your router and make it fixed. Do the same for possible
accesspoint (best is "the same" channel to allow seamless takeover).

My router has an 'auto' setting for channel. Is that it? Why would
anyine use it?

Yes, why? Only if your neighbours use it ;-) Find a quiet (the quietest) channel and set that. Also - if you don't need the extra
speed, limit bandwidth (adjacent channel usage). And on 5GHz, avoid channels in the radar band.
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 06/07/2024 12:44, Joe wrote:

On Fri, 5 Jul 2024 14:51:55 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 05/07/2024 13:32, Joe wrote:

On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 21:06:38 +0100, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 02/07/2024 16:11, Chris Townley wrote:

Good routers monitor nearby signals, and will change channel to avoid >>>>> conflicts. With some you can override this

Ive never ever found a router that does that.
And my router us VERY good

Automatic channel setting with the option to overrule. Mine has it, I've switched it off as it forces connected devices to also
dynamically switch channels. So: Pick the "cleanest" channel at your router and make it fixed. Do the same for possible
accesspoint (best is "the same" channel to allow seamless takeover).

My router has an 'auto' setting for channel. Is that it? Why would
anyine use it?

Yes, why? Only if your neighbours use it ;-) Find a quiet (the quietest) channel and set that. Also - if you don't need the extra
speed, limit bandwidth (adjacent channel usage). And on 5GHz, avoid channels in the radar band.

Well I have no neighbours.
Not within WiFi range anyway.
--
Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the
gospel of envy.

Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

Winston Churchill


--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 06/07/2024 12:44, Joe wrote:

And on 5GHz, avoid channels in the radar band.

Which, given Stansted's proximity, means just a couple of channels here.
5GHz systems detect radar and avoid those channels. Useless.
--
Mike Scott
Harlow, England

--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote at 14:41 this Wednesday (GMT):

On 03/07/2024 15:40, candycanearter07 wrote:

The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote at 19:55 this Tuesday (GMT):

On 02/07/2024 15:50, candycanearter07 wrote:

Don't wifi connections change which channels they use frequently? Unless >>>> you control all the nearby routers, I don't think it would help a ton.. >>>

No. They dont. You assign a (centre) channel to a wifi station. I t
spreads a lot either side, but the centre is the centre

Weird, maybe it was just the corporate wifi that did that..

Now THAT I can believe. Having sat in a hospital with over 40 different
WIFI points all with different SSIDS...spread fairly evenly over the spectrum...
I cant see NHS staff doing any setup and contractors probly send in a PFY.

Yeah sorry, I never thought to look at it on my home wifi. It's stayed
on channel 2 for a while.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 02/07/2024 03:13, bp@www.zefox.net wrote:

Chris Townley <news@cct-net.co.uk> wrote:

Between the two, I'm rather confused. Over the past year or
two wifi has gotten worse,I thought because of interference
from neighbors, who now number close to 20. But, during a scan
wavemon consistently reports my access point as the strongest
signal. Is "strongest signal" not sufficient by itself?

Wavemon scan reports in part
:DD:8D 63%, -66 dBm, ch 6, 2437 MHz 1 sta, 28% c
hGiants Guest 22:FD:13:14:DD:8E 63%, -66 dBm, ch 6, 2437 MHz 28% chan, Ra
dmillerhome2 F0:72:EA:49:C6:4A 63%, -66 dBm, ch 6, 2437 MHz ESS, Radio M
eATT5Zavd8s 08:9B:B9:01:B7:14 60%, -68 dBm, ch 6, 2437 MHz 9 sta, 58% c
hd-link.zefox.net 00:13:46:86:6D:0C 84%, -51 dBm, ch 2, 2417 MHz ESS │

I'm on channel 2 and seemingly have it to myself.

The 12 (or 13 in some countries) WiFi channels date back to the first iteration of WiFi which had a much smaller bandwidth, and are very
unhelpful these day that the signal is much wider than a single channel.
This means that there are only 3 useable channels which don't overlap;
1, 6 and 11.

It is far better to be on these channels, even if there is also a fairly strong signal from another router, as the devices and access points will detect each others transmissions and timeshare on that channel. If you
use the other overlapping channel numbers it will interfere with other
APs, and they cannot coordinate leading to lower speeds for everyone.

Don't rely on the router to pick a channel, as the best one where it is,
is not important as it's signal is going to be much stronger anyway. Go
around the perimeter of your house or property where you are likely to
be using WiFi, and measure the signal strengths of competing APs on
channel 1, 6 and 11. Pick the channel which has the least competition on average in these locations. It may not be possible to get a good signal
on any channel everywhere, so you may have to consider WiFi repeaters.

---druck
--- Synchronet 3.20a-Linux NewsLink 1.114